Why The Mets Have A Prime Chance To Turn The Corner Against The Dodgers

The Mets may have very well saved their season on Wednesday with a 6-2 extra innings victory against the Giants to avoid being swept.

Now, the schedule doesn't get any easier, as they travel to Los Angeles to take on the Dodgers for a four-game set, starting on Thursday evening.

And while the Mets' offense finally got the break through they've been looking for with six-runs between the ninth and 12th inning yesterday, they must turn the corner and grab some momentum against a Dodgers team that just swept them at Citi Field last weekend.

However, despite getting blown out 14-4 in last Sunday's finale, the Mets hung tight with the Dodgers in two out of three games, falling in extra innings in each of the first two contests.

The Mets have been desperate for that one big hit and "special moment" to help them turn things around. And on Wednesday, they got it this in the form of Kevin Pillar's heroic go-ahead three-run homer in the 12th to lead them to a crucial win against the best team in baseball.

And with a rematch coming with the Dodgers, Pillar believes that his team can flip the script this time around.

"We know we can play with them, we proved that we can play with them," said Pillar of the Dodgers.

Although the Mets showed they can hang with the Dodgers, who are clearly above their weight class, it was their pitching staff that kept them in each of the first two games.

As for their offense, they went just 2-for-29 with runners in scoring position in this series, which has been a season-long issue.

But the hope is, that their bats can keep things going at Dodger Stadium, after being able to get over the hump yesterday versus the Giants.

This also came in the wake of team owner Steve Cohen calling out his "unproductive hitters" on Twitter prior to Wednesday's contest.

Amid the Boss' public displeasure, If the offense can catch fire, it will give them a strong chance, as they are in need of at least a split to remain at .500, entering this matchup with a record of 60-60 and 4.5 games back of the Atlanta Braves in the NL East.

In order to keep pace in their division, the Mets' pitching staff is going to need to do their part as well, which might be a more difficult ask against a high-powered Dodgers' lineup when taking a closer look at their probable starters.

Taijuan Walker, who tossed seven brilliant innings, allowing only one run in his last time out against the Dodgers on Saturday night, will take the series opener. And Marcus Stroman is lined up for the finale on Sunday, following a strong performance against the Giants, where didn't receive much run support in a losing effort.

However, pitching in the middle games of the series are Carlos Carrasco and Rich Hill, who must step up and overcome their struggles to give the Mets a chance.

Carrasco got shelled for six runs across two innings of work in his last outing against the Dodgers and Hill gave up two runs in only 3.2 innings versus the Giants.

The 34-year-old Carrasco has a 10.32 ERA in four starts since being activated from the injured list, after a torn hamstring forced him to miss the first three and a half months of the season. And Hill holds a 5.10 ERA in four starts and five total appearances, following the Mets' trade to acquire him from the Tampa Bay Rays back on July 23.

The Mets will once again have to face Walker Buehler and Max Scherzer in the games where Carrasco and Hill are set up to oppose them. Buehler gave up one run in seven innings, to go along with 10 strikeouts of the Mets on Saturday night, while Scherzer tossed six innings, allowing two runs in a route to complete the sweep the day after.

This series will be no cake walk by any means, but on the bright side, the Mets know they can compete with the defending World Series Champions. Now, they need to do a better job in executing in order for it to translate into winning ball games, and reviving their season that has been on a downward spiral over the course of the past two weeks.